Tempus Fugit
by The-Birds-And-Bees
Summary: He's going to die; should've just turned around and walked out the moment he'd seen Sora. Left distorting the world and falling off clock towers to him, instead of winding up like this. Yaoi. Multiple pairings.


We all get to this point eventually where we're stuck in a myriad of cliches, wondering how this and that one could be better, why this one hasn't died out, why that one is so popular. It was a particular frustration for me, since it kept blunting my writing; but I've finally figured out a concept that I really think I can work with.

This is for my best friend, the biggest source of inspiration I could ever hope for.

**88888**

_Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting._

_Dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before._

_-Edgar Allen Poe_

He couldn't quite understand why. There was a level of disbelief there, an icy shard of heartbreak that curbed whatever relief and triumph there was to be found in the moment. The worlds were safe, his friends were safe, but-

"Vanitas!" A fearful shout, one demanding recognition. _Look at me; I'm right here._ He was trying, struggling against the onset of lethargy to simply move his feet and reach out his hand, face pale and eyes wide, pleading. _Almost there!_

Their heart was crumbling, station warping and reforming beneath his feet. He didn't want to look down to see it refocus into the aftermath; what it was supposed to be. What it had been. Just him.

"Wait!" His other wouldn't look at him, or perhaps Vanitas was simply incapable of it now. There was a chance that he couldn't even hear him; so close to the ground, now. So close to touching their fingers together.

Until that image shatters, and all that's left to clasp his hand around are small spatters of light. Soon enough, there isn't even that. The blonde falls forward, Wayward Wind clattering to the ground at the same time his knees make impact. The Keyblade bounces, just once, before disappearing completely.

Doesn't matter.

He was too late.

**888**

"Hey Roxas, you coming or what?" A hand thumps down on the brick wall beside him, earning Hayner an baleful look as Roxas ducks out of the way. Best friend, sure, but sometimes he could be so... stubborn.

"Can't, remember? Too much homework." He shrugs helplessly in the wake of Hayner's indignant stare, looking over to Olette for some support. She was the one who always nagged about this kind of thing, right? "Besides, I'm kind of broke."

"Well maybe if you didn't eat so much ice cream, you wouldn't be." Hayner retorts, crossing his arms and looking for all the world like a petulant child. Roxas supposed that _maybe_, he'd have a right to be upset; if he wasn't the one Roxas had to shout for all the time-

"C'mon Hayner; if a guy's broke, he's broke." Pence finally pipes up from the couch, sending Roxas a brief, conspiratorial grin as Olette speaks up in his defence, as well.

"Besides, he's not the only one falling behind on their homework." Or not. From the evil eye Hayner's getting now, she meant to catch him about this sometime soon, anyway. As he blusters over the biting critique, Roxas leans back against the wall, just watching the three of them go at it with a small smile on his face.

Friends. They're a nice thing to have. He can't say that he doesn't appreciate them, either.

"Seriously Hayner, you guys go on ahead, this time. It's easier to play catch up alone." Without Hayner there to get bored and distract everyone with some newfangled idea about what they should be doing with their time, instead.

"Seriously?" A whine. He's being defeated, and he knows it. But hell will go cold before Hayner allowed it to look like he'd lost an argument. "C'mon man; it won't be the same without you."

"I probably won't have the munny to go until summer vacation." Roxas admits, watching as Hayner blanches away as if he's been bitten. That long until he sees the beach, heaven forbid!

"Fine, fine. But you're missing out, you know." A warning tone, one that Roxas has no problem shrugging off.

"We'll all go, next time. We can save up to get those pretzels." That, at least, garners some positive attention, and with a few more snarky comments, the three are finally off. About time, too.

Alone in the usual spot, Roxas sighs, tension draining from his shoulders as he lets his head fall back, thinking over the plans for today. He wasn't joking about the amount of homework he had to do; it just kept piling up these days. Maybe he wasn't the most studious of the group, but even he could tell when he was starting to dig a hole too deep...

...That didn't mean there wasn't time for ice cream beforehand though, right? A decisive hum and Roxas leaves the alleyway himself, shoving his hands into his pockets and heading towards the commonplace. By the time he actually got himself a bar, those three would be on a train, so he could sneak up to the clocktower without any of them being at all the wiser- especially Olette. Treating himself before he finished? Totally uncalled for.

He snickered to himself quietly, making his way down well known streets and idly nodding his head in greeting to passersby. Every street is familiar, every person, too. He'd only moved here a few years ago, but he couldn't imagine going back to a life in the country now. You couldn't exactly say that Twilight Town was fast paced, but at least it had a pace.

"Small town, small world." He didn't mind it in the least.

It's only a ten minute walk before he's got an ice cream in hand, and from there, it's all uphill. Probably the only reason he's been able to keep in shape; Twilight Town wasn't exactly what you'd call flat, and his favorite place just so happened to be the highest point in town. A light breeze is more than welcome as he hikes up the hill, mind on the mundane, simple. His to-do list for today is pretty big as is, but his room probably needs some tidying up; he should ask his mom about laundry, as well...

Reaching the station, the double doors into the large hanger are ignored in favor of a single green door around the side, leading into a small space with stairs ringing up around the edges. Roxas takes them one at a time, careful after plenty of experiences tripping over whilst racing Hayner up them. There's a step halfway up that still has blood stains on it, from that time when he'd tripped and cracked open his head. _That_ had been a day.

Just a normal, mundane day. Normal, mundane thoughts. Roxas is more than relaxed, ready for a day of study, perhaps an early bed. Before all the digs he'll get tomorrow about what a great time Hayner had, what a shame it had been that he wasn't there. Roxas rolls his eyes, mentally conceiving what tale Hayner was bound to tell him this time as he reaches the top landing, pushing open the door and stepping out into the sunset. _I picked up twenty girls, Roxas! Total babes- told them all about y-_

"Huh? Hey!" The mundane atmosphere never lasts. He was expecting to be alone up here; no one else really bothers with this place. Too high, too dangerous. Just a little retreat for him and his friends. Today, however, he has company. Roxas has never seen him before. He'd remember someone with hair like that, sticking out in all directions, like he's been shocked by a power socket, or something. Blue eyes look to him, just as surprised with his presence as he is with the other's; but that's not what makes him call out.

This guy- whoever he is. Standing there looking for all the world like Roxas is the one out of place. He's just a little too close to the edge for comfort. Rocking on his heels, right on the very brink of falling. Far too close for comfort. Roxas blinks, taken aback by his presence, fumbling on his words and spitting out the first question that comes to mind, almost cringing at how stupid it sounds.

"What are you doing?"

"What am I doing?" The teen echoes, just as stupidly dumbfounded as Roxas himself. "Standing. Hanging around. What are you doing?"

He takes in Roxas' expression for a moment, watching that surprise change to something more akin to caution. Chuckles and rubs the back of his neck sheepishly.

"I mean, they said no one ever comes up here."

"No one ever does, usually. Except for me." Roxas says carefully, eyeing the other's feet, then looking back to his face. "A little...close there, aren't you?"

"Oh." The brunette looks down, like he hadn't even realized. "Yeah. I guess I am."

He says it so calmly, but there's this odd tone to it that makes Roxas think that perhaps, that was the other's intention, being that close. Or maybe even closer. What are you supposed to do when you come across someone potentially suicidal?

He really has no idea.

"Are you alright?" But a simple question had to be pretty safe, right? That's how you were supposed to act; reasonably natural as you talked the crazy person down. At least, he really hopes that's how it works, because the other hasn't looked back up at him yet, rather fixated at staring at the ground below him.

It's a really long way down. The ice cream slips from his hand, forgotten as Roxas takes a few steps forward, hardly daring to breathe. He didn't want to set this guy off... literally or figuratively.

"I dunno. I guess so. It's just.." He trails off, expression contemplative before he looks back to Roxas, blonde freezing in place, just that few feet closer. If he notices, the brunette doesn't comment on it. "Have you ever had one of those dreams where you're falling? And when you hit the ground, you wake up?"

He purses his lips, gaze returning to the drop. Roxas begins moving once more. From the sounds of things, he's high... or worse. Not in the state to be up here by himself, that's for sure.

"I think that's where I am now. In one of those dreams."

"Except you're not." Roxas' stomach clenches, a distinctly unsettling sensation in his stomach. He knew it. Completely suicidal. He does his best to inch forward as slowly as he dares, eyeing off a hand held loose at the brunette's side. He can do this. It's just saving another person's life, that's all. "Fall off there, and all you're going to get is a really big human pancake."

The teen laughs, face lighting up with humor before it slowly dies away. He just looks so serious, thoughtful. It's not right.

Roxas doesn't know why, but he knows that expression doesn't belong on his face.

"I don't think so. I think, if I fall off here? I'll wake up for real."

"Yeah, well I don't think that's such a good idea." He needs to distract him, somehow. Conversation is the only weapon Roxas has at hand. "I'm Roxas. I haven't seen you around, before."

"Sora. I'm from... somewhere else. Really far away." That's not vague at all, is it? The newly dubbed Sora rocks forward on his heels, practically giving Roxas a heart attack in the process. Gritting his teeth, he rushes the last few steps, reaching out to take the others hand, to yank him back. "I don't really belong here. That's why I think I'm gonna- hey?!"

Success, at least for that part. Sora stumbles towards him as Roxas pulls sharply, free hand grasping Sora's wrist so he can apply his whole weight into getting him off the edge. It works, forcing Sora to stumble back a step or two; until he starts digging in his heels, trapping them in a tug of war that neither seems to be gaining any leeway in.

"What's the big idea, Roxas?!"

"You're crazy, that's what! I'm not letting you kill yourself over something so- stupid!" He snaps out, feeling frantic and a little out of his element, the scene. The emotions, it's all sharper than it should be. Scary, even.

"I'm not going to die, okay? I'm just going to- let go already!" Sora grunts, skidding forwards a few more inches and looking all the less pleased because of it. "I won't die, alright?! I'll prove it!"

"Oh yeah, like I'm gonna fall for that one." His breathing is harsh, heart hammering at his ribcage; he can't let go. Won't let go. It doesn't matter how crazy Sora's coming across right now; he could be Seifer and Roxas wouldn't let him fall without a fight.

"I mean it, Roxas! I can really prove it; I can." Sora's voice is low, taking on a pleading edge as his expression twists with desperation. Like Roxas is taking away something precious. "You can hold my hand if you want to; just let me prove it. Please."

This? Is _crazy. _And Roxas' expression reflects that, all caution and no give, though his stance shifts. More to hold Sora where he is than keep pulling him back. And like he knows, like he can feel that opportunity there, Sora speaks up once more, softer. Practically begging.

"Please, Roxas. Just let me do this, and if you still don't believe me, then... then I'll come downstairs. You can even call the cops."

...Shit. Roxas closes his eyes, frustrated with Sora's conviction, his... his stupidity. It's a fifty foot drop, not a diving board. There's a certain amount of worry, a stray thought; _what if he pulls me over too?_

"When I say it's too far, you have to stop, alright?" He doesn't hide his grimace as Sora beams at him, allowing himself to be drawn forward, clutching Sora's hand all the tighter, the closer they are to the edge. They. Not just Sora this time.

"Don't worry. You'll understand, in a minute." He states it confidently, before slowly reaching out his free hand, stretching out his arm like he's trying to grasp onto the sun. But Sora's eyes are focused at a point much closer, maybe several feet away from where they stand; straining to reach outwards without shifting his feet. Reaching...

Roxas just stares at him blankly, wondering why he ever agreed to this in the first place. What, exactly, is he supposed to be looking at here? "I can't see anything."

"You will! You will, just... let me..." Sora's expression twists into one of frustration; in a quick, wild motion, he rocks forward and swipes at the air ahead of him, yelping as Roxas grips his hand and pulls back sharply. He almost went over; that was exactly the opposite of what they-

What.

"See?" One, triumphant word; Sora looks to him expectantly and Roxas... looks to the horizon, eyes narrowed. There was no way he'd just seen what he thought he had. That wasn't natural. Something like that just couldn't happen.

He shakes his head sharply, tone tense and body rigid.

"That. Can you do that again?" He'll pull Sora back if he goes too far, but he has to figure out what that was. What just happened.

"Better idea." Sora squeezes his hand, raising it up towards the horizon. He looks... almost gleeful, like that went even better than expected. Like he hadn't really seen anything like it before, either. "How about we both go for it?"

"What? But I-" The words dry out before Roxas can even formulate a proper protest, distracted from Sora by the horizon. By that. Was it still there? If he reached out, would it be the same reaction? "...Alright. Let's do it."

Sora grins, threading their fingers together and slowly leaning back out, towards that sunset. There's sweat on the back of Roxas' neck; he doesn't dare look down. Just towards the sunset, the horizon. Just at their hands, brow furrowing when nothing happens. They aren't reaching far enough, maybe. Just out of reach.

It's not like they could reach any farther, though. And he turns his head to tell Sora as much, just in time to catch the grin on his face as Sora squeezes their hands together tightly- and pitches forward.

He screams; can't help it. It's not everyday someone hurls you from the edge of a tower, but even then he keeps his eyes open. Wildly looks to that horizon for something, anything, a reason for all this, right as their hands collide with something solid and the world around them _ripples_.

Ripples. Like before, but at a much larger scale. His feet are braced on the side of the tower, eyes fixated on every translucent warp in the skyline. Like waves across the water, except it's solid. He can feel it, even as the world settles once more. As things start to look less like they're stuck in the Twilight Zone and more like they're simply hanging in thin air, braced above a large drop that, unfortunately, he can't keep his eyes off for long.

In moments of idle fancy, he'd often thought about what flying would be like; being weightless, gliding through the air without a care in the world. Instead, he's wedged between the clocktower and an invisible... wall of some kind, muscles straining to hold himself above the immensely large (it's never looked like such a long way down, before) drop. This? Isn't precisely what Roxas had in mind.

"Believe me now?" Sora pants, breath heavy from the effort of holding himself up. Both of them are straining, arms shaking violently as their elbows threaten to give way under their weight. Roxas swallows, shaking his head. He's seriously going to ask that right now?!

"We're still going to die." He's going to die; should've just turned around and walked out the moment he'd seen Sora. Left distorting the world and falling off clock towers to him, instead of winding up like this. "How- how do we get back up?

"You can try climbing over me, I guess." Sora's all smiles, content with the situation at hand. "Me? I'm not going back there."

"You can't be serious!"

"Dead serious. I have to wake up." _Finally, _that smile fades; and yet Sora still isn't taking this seriously enough. Roxas stares at him, flabbergasted, prompting Sora to explain further. "There's people waiting for me, Roxas. You can stay here if you want, you can keep dreaming. But I can't."

Except it's not just a dream. Roxas could tell Sora so much about this place; the history he has here. The friends he's made, the enemies. About his school, his home, his family. It was his life. It was his home. And it had to be real.

Because if it wasn't, then what was?

Sora shifts slightly, wincing, and Roxas can see the strain starting to push him down. It was getting to him, the stress, the exertion- the absolute terror of this moment. His whole life was on the line in two different ways, and he's not at all sure which one he'd prefer. All of this, because of a... a crazy, suicidal guy he'd met all of fifteen minutes ago.

"Promise me something, okay?" There's no sharp edge to Roxas' tone, not anymore. He sounds and looks as young and terrified as he really is. Sora eyes dart over to him, examining the blonde critically. Pondering.

"What's that?" A careful tone.

Roxas takes deep breath, then-

"Don't let go." Their bodies sag abruptly as Roxas pulls their hands from the wall, gripping Sora's in a deathly tight hold. Braced on one arm each, the strain is even more acutely felt, but all Sora has in reply is a soft laugh before he lets himself drop completely, Roxas' shoulder jarring with the addition of Sora's weight. He doesn't even last a second, losing that precarious balance and yelling out as they both begin their descent towards the ground.

Roxas is gripping Sora's hand so tightly, he's sure the other's arm has gone numb. Can't be sure; Sora's fingers are holding so tightly, his own hand has lost feeling. Falling isn't pretty. It's not a dive, not a graceful arc. They're spinning wildly out of control, arms jerking violently as their bodies try to fall in two different directions. He lost his stomach at the top, his voice a few feet below that. He keeps his eyes closed and prays the impact won't be too hard, even as Sora jerks his arm, pulling him smack into the other's chest.

So now they're not spinning wildly away from each other, even if the drop keeps going on and on. The splat; that's coming up soon. The heavy feeling of hitting the ground before he loses consciousness for the very last time.

Any minute now, he assumes. Any moment at all.

Falling is cold. And wet. The longer this goes on, the more beads of moisture he can feel clinging to the back of his neck, his arms. It's impossible to feel the suns rays, or hear the normal sounds of the town; it's dark, and lonely. It smells like Sora, mostly because his head is still shoved tightly against the other's neck.

It's hard to breathe.

He can feel Sora shifting, the muscles in his neck tensing on one side, like he's looking about. It's what prompts Roxas to slowly open his own, just a sliver. More, as Sora's hold loosens to accommodate his sudden interest in looking at more than a silver chain and red shirt, eyes wide as he takes in the space around them.

Twilight Town is the gleaming surface of the water above them. Distant enough that it's only vague shapes and bright colors, that blooming sunset encompassing most of the layer of light Roxas can see. Their descent is through a trail of darkness, silent, without an end in sight. It's fascinating, in a morbid, heart wrenching sense. Watching the world he loves lift out of sight as he falls into the unknown.

Sora's calm in comparison, wide eyes locking with the same shade of blue, watching each other as they go further down. He still doesn't know anything about this... 'Sora'. Doesn't know what he's like, doesn't know if this is right, or wrong. But here in the darkness, he's the only one around to hold onto. The only familiarity as everything else is left behind.

"I don't understand." This year has been nothing but headaches. Headaches and regrets; things he never should have done. Things he never should have let Sora do. Not on his own. Crossing his arms, Riku could easily be talking to himself, eyes distant. Namine's focus isn't him right now, though he knows he has her attention.

"How could this have happened? And why now."

"I'm not sure." DiZ called her a witch often enough, but there were very few times where Riku could wrap himself around the terminology. Even now, seeing her far too old expression, he wouldn't call her that. World weary, perhaps. Lonely. But a witch?

She was just a girl with a very heavy weight on her shoulders. This is hardly making it easier.

"DiZ always said that Roxas would respond to Sora; to his heart. A Nobody isn't supposed to exist, and so..." And so, having the two connected in such a way should have been the end of it. Namine shakes her head helplessly. "But maybe DiZ was wrong. Maybe I was, too."

"Maybe we all were." It's not a rush of reassurance; simply careful acknowledgement. They'd all made their mistakes.A short sigh, and Riku falls silent for a moment, eyes fixated on the floor of the open pod. Sora... "He never did do anything the straightforward way."

Namine laughs, short and quiet behind her hand. Politely hiding the emotions she wasn't supposed to feel. "It seems that way, doesn't it?"

"Yeah..." Silence, as they stare down at their charge. Charges, perhaps; it wouldn't help to define Roxas so soon, not until he was sure where Roxas was up to. He'd been reprogrammed, hadn't he?

How long would that last, now that he was out of the system? Namine eventually steps away, hands clasped over her chest in one of the few signs Riku's come to understand as anxiety.

"What now, Riku?" What now. What could he possibly do, when his best friend is curled up on the floor with his Nobody? They're both sound; for now. Sora's shifting in his sleep, actively seeking out the blonde, so they could have less than a few minutes before...

"We change the plan, that's all." With a little help, there's a possibility they can keep the both of them out the way and out of trouble, until they could find another way, something new. If that was even needed in the first place.

If not, well..

Possibly best to keep them both out of sight, anyway. Sora- Roxas. The two of them were just as much trouble as each other. Letting loose a harsh sigh, Riku turns to Namine, Ansem's features settled into a heavy scowl.

"Let's go." _Before these two make it anymore complicated than they already had._

If that was even possible.

**88888**

Generally speaking I try to imagine the character saying lines as I write them. If I can't imagine it, or the voice I hear isn't _their voice, _then I know I'm not doing so well.

Funnily enough I was fairly happy with this entire chapter. We're off to a rolling start, so let me know if you enjoyed it, or even if there's concerns or questions. I'm happy to receive both.

Thanks for reading.


End file.
